Stroke is one of the major diseases that threaten human health, early diagnosis and treatment are very important for stroke. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is measured noninvasively to diagnosis stroke, and it is a independent predictor for stroke because its thickening can timely predict the incidence and development of stroke. As an important predictor of cardiovascular disease, more and more attention is played on CIMT. In this review, we will make a summary on the important role of CIMT in stroke and the mechanisms of carotid intima-media thickening in stroke as well as the potential use of traditional Chinese medicine in treating carotid intima-media thickening.
Animals ; Carotid Arteries ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Stroke ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

Objective To explore the effect of Sunset Abelmoschus on podocyte injury in adriamycin-induced nephropathy rats.Methods Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups:sham operation group (n=10),model group (n=10),Sunset Abelmoschus low dose group (0.5 g·kg-1· d-1 n=10),middle dose group (1.0 g· kg-1· d-1,n=10) and high dose group (2.0 g· kg-1· d-1,n=10).Unilateral nephrectomy combined repeated adriamycin injection were performed to establish adriamycininduced nephropathy models.The rats were administered with the corresponding dose of Sunset Abelmoschus during the experiment period.Urinary protein,urinary N-acetyl glucose aminotransferase (NAG),serum albumin,serum creatinine and blood lipid were measured before operation and 2,4,6,8 weeks after operation.The rats were sacrificed on week 8 for the renal histological examination,including light microscope and electron microscope.Expression of nephrin was examined by immunofluorescence assays.Results As compared to model group,urinary protein and NAG significantly decreases in Sunset Abelmoschus groups in each time point,especially in high dose group (P＜0.01),meanwhile the serum albumin increased and the disturbance of lipid metabolism was improved in Sunset Abelmoschus groups (P＜0.05).Compared with sham group,Scr increased significantly in model group and Sunset Abelmoschus groups at the 4th week.At the 8th week,Scr in high dose group was lower than that in model group (P＜0.05),and the ratio of glomerular globe sclerosis and segmental sclerosis,tubulointerstitial damage reduced in Sunset Abelmoschus groups,especially in high dose group.The podocyte damage and the extent of foot process fusion were improved in Sunset Abelmoschus groups compared with model group.Expression of nephrin increased in Sunset Abelmoschus groups than that in model group.Conclusion Sunset Abelmoschus can ameliorate proteinuria and renal tissue damage of adriamycin-induced nephropathy rats,whose mechanism may be associated with the improvement of podocyte injury.

Objective:To explore the development characteristics of empathy in adolescents and the relations with aggression.Methods:With multistage stratified random sampling method,15 738 middle school students were selected from 5 provinces across China.The Buss-Warren Aggression Questionnaire Revised in China (BWAQ-RC) and Interactional Reactivity Index (IRI-C)was used to measure adolescents'aggression and empathy.Results:Girls had higher level of empathy than boys (P <0.001).Age and gender were interacted in predicting empathetic con-cern (P <0.001).Perspective taking was significant negative predictor of indirect aggression,physical aggression, hostile and angry (P <0.001),while empathetic concern was significant positive predictor of indirect aggression, verbal aggression,hostile and angry (P <0.001).Empathy was divided into 4 class used the K-Means clustering a-nalysis,namely,low empathy class,high perspective taking class,high empathetic concern class,high perspective taking and empathetic concern class.In contrast to other classes,individuals in low empathy class were more likely to involve in physical aggression (P <0.05),and individuals in high level of perspective taking and empathetic con-cern class were related with less physical aggression and elevated verbal aggression (P <0.05).Individuals in high empathetic concern class exhibited more indirect aggression,hostile and anger than other subgroups (P <0.05). Conclusion:The unbalance development of the two components of empathy may be closely correlated with different conduction of aggressive behaviors.

The combination effect of high hydrostatic pressure and moderate heat on the inactivation kinetics of Bacillus coagulans spore in phosphate buffer and UHT(Ultra High Temperature)whole milk was investigated.The pressure come-up time and corresponding log-reduction of spore inactivation were considered during pressure-thermal treatment.Bacillus coagulans spore had a much higher resistance to pressure in UHT whole milk than in phosphate buffer.Survival data were modeled using the linear,Weibull and log-logistic models to obtain relevant kinetic parameters.The tailing phenomenon occurred in all survival curves,indicating the linear model was not adequate for describing these curves.The log-logistic model produced best fits to survival curves,following by Weibull model.

Objective:To observe the changes of renal function in critically ill patients after using vancomycin and analyze the renal protective effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) on vancomycin nephrotoxicity.Methods:The clinical data of patients with severe infection who were administered with vancomycin or plus infusion of GSH admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2012 to October 2019 were collected during the study period, and the patients were divided into only vancomycin group and vancomycin combined with GSH group. The gender, age, body weight, underlying diseases, clinical diagnosis, severity score, renal function before and after taking the medicine, average daily dose and treatment duration of vancomycin and GSH, length of ICU stay and clinical outcomes were recorded and analyzed.Results:A total of 217 patients were enrolled, with 127 patients in the only vancomycin group, and 90 in the combination with GSH group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, body weight, duration of vancomycin treatment, history of chronic kidney disease, and ICU mortality. The main causes of 217 patients admitted to the ICU were lung infection, sepsis/septic shock, and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and so on. The majority of patients in only vancomycin group had lung infections (63.0%), while the main etiology in combination with GSH group was SAP (46.7%). Compared with the only vancomycin group, the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score in the combination with GSH group significantly decreased [15.0 (10.5, 21.0) vs. 27.0 (20.0, 31.0), P < 0.01], but the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score was significantly higher [1.0 (0, 1.0) vs. 0 (0, 0.2), P < 0.01], the basic renal function was poorer [serum creatinine (SCr, μmol/L): 102.0 (64.7, 178.0) vs. 56.0 (42.0, 71.0), blood urea nitrogen (BUN, mmol/L): 11.5 (6.7, 18.4) vs. 4.70 (3.5, 8.1), both P < 0.05], and the average daily dose of vancomycin was lower (mg·kg -1·d -1: 22.22±10.09 vs. 25.51±9.56, P < 0.05). The renal function of patients was getting worse significantly after vancomycin usage as compared with before [SCr (μmol/L): 68.0 (50.3, 103.4) vs. 56.0 (42.0, 71.0), BUN (mmol/L): 5.4 (3.6, 9.6) vs. 4.7 (3.5, 8.1), both P < 0.05]. However, the renal function indexes of the combination with GSH group were better than those before treatment [SCr (μmol/L): 81.0 (61.0, 129.0) vs. 102.0 (64.7, 178.0), P < 0.05; BUN (mmol/L): 8.4 (6.2, 17.8) vs. 11.5 (6.7, 18.4), P > 0.05], and the length of ICU stay was significantly shorter than that in the only vancomycin group [days: 29.0 (14.0, 54.2) vs. 37.0 (25.0, 55.0), P < 0.05]. Conclusions:The incidence of drug-induced renal injury caused by vancomycin is high. The GSH can significantly reduce their renal toxicity and shorten the length of hospital stay.

The aim of this study is to study the effect of calcium dobesilate on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced early diabetic nephrophathy (DN) in rats. All male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: normal group; DN blank group; calcium dobesilate 75, 150, and 300 mg x kg(-1) groups and perindopril 0.4 mg x kg(-1) group. Blood glucose and the 24 h urinary albumin were measured dynamically during the experiment, after 8 weeks administration, the level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was determined, the expressions of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and matrix metalloprotein-9 (MMP-9) in cortex of kidney were examined with immunohistochemical staining. The endothelin (ET) in plasma and kidney cortex was measured with radioimmunoassay, renal pathomorphism was observed with light and electron microscopes. Calcium dobesilate could decrease the 24 h urinary albumin and ET in plasma and kidney cortex, down-regulate the expression of PAI-1, and up-regulate MMP-9 in kidney. These findings suggested that calcium dobesilate could protect blood vessel endothelium, inhibit kidney fibrous degeneration, ameliorate renal pathological damage, and protect kidney function in many ways.
Albuminuria ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Calcium Dobesilate ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Endothelins ; blood ; metabolism ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Hemostatics ; pharmacology ; Kidney Cortex ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effect of Breviscapine injection on the hypoxic ischemic brain damage of neonatal rats, and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax.

METHODSIn this experiment 7-day-old newborn rat with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage model was used and divided into four groups: sham group, model group, control with sterile water for injection group and Breviscapine injection group. Breviscapine injection group was divided into large, medium, and small doses. Used thionin staining and immunohistochemical staining to assay the neuronal density, histological grade, and the expresssion of Bcl-2 and Bax protein in the CA1 hippocampus of each group , the number of positive cells and the integral optical density (IOD) of the immunostaining on Bcl-2, Bax protein expression in the CA1 hippocampus.

RESULTSSham group, there was no significant neuronal damage and no obvious positive cells of Bcl-2 and Bax in the CA1 hippocampus. In model group and control with sterile water for injection group, the level of Bcl-2, Bax expression peaked at 3 d after hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) (P < 0.05 vs other groups), the value of neuronal density (ND) was decreased, and histological grade (HG) was increased compared with that in the sham group (P < 0.05). Breviscapine injection group, compared with control with sterile water for injection group, the expression of Bcl-2 protein was further increased, IOD value increased, while the expression of Bax protein was decreased, IOD value decreased, the value of ND increased, and HG decreased.

CONCLUSIONBreviscapin injection maybe reduce the delayed neuronal death, and reduce the apoptosis of neuron after severe brain injury through improving the expression of Bcl-2 protein and inhibiting expression of Bax. The study would provide a fine theoretical foundation for clinical therapy of neonatal HIBD.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the bacteriostatic effect of recombinant human lactoferrin(rhLF) on Helicobacter(H .) py‐lori and its influence on CagA ,Ure and gastric mucosal IL‐8 .Methods The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)and the influ‐ence of different drug concentrations on the proliferation of H .pylori were detected .The effects of rhLF on the mRNA and protein expressions of CagA and Ure in H .pylori were detected by RT‐PCR and Western blot ,respectively .The animal study :Balb/c mice were adopted and assigned randomly into four groups ,including the standard triple+rhLF(group A) ,rhLF(group B) ,standard tri‐ple(group C) and normal saline(group D) .The histopathological HE staining was used to observe the gastric inflammation and ELISA was used to detect the IL‐8 level of gastric tissue in each group .Results MIC was 0 .5 mg/mL ,moreover rhLF inhibited the bacterial growth and proliferation with a concentration‐dependent manner .rhLF could reduce the expression of H .pylori major viru‐lence factor CagA ,mRNA and protein of Ure .Comparing the group A with the group B ,C and D ,the gastric mucosal inflammation score and the IL‐8 levels of gastric tissue homogenates had statistically significant differences(P<0 .05) .Conclusion rhLF inhibits the growth and proliferation of H .pylori ,moreover inhibit the expression of major virulence factor CagA in H .pylori ,mRNA and protein of Ure in different degrees ,weakens its pathogenicity ,meanwhile reduces the IL‐8 level in mice gastric mucosa ,and allevi‐ates H .pylori related gastric mucosal inflammatory response .

Objective To investgate the pathogenesis of PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways in nasal type extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma(ENKTCL-N).Methods The expression of PTEN,p-AKT,p-4EBP1 and p-mTOR in 51 patients with ENKTCL-N and 20 patients with reactive proliferative lymph nodes was detected by immunohistochemistry EnVision.The clinical data were collected and the clinical features,curative effect and prognosis were analyzed retrospectively.Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method.Results The positive rate of PTEN in ENKTCL-N patients was lower than that in patients with reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes,and the positive rates of p-AKT and p-4EBP1 were higher than those in patients with reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05);The positive rate of p-mTOR in ENKTCL-N patients was higher than that in patients with reactive hyperplastic lymph nodes,but the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).The survival rate of PTEN-positive patients was higher than that of PTEN-negative patients,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is abnormally active in ENKTCL-N,which may be related to its pathogenesis;PTEN-positive patients may have better prognosis.

OBJECTIVE To detect the reversal effect of Guizhi Fuling Wan on cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer SKOV3/DDP cells and its relationship with protein expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and metadherin (MTDH). METHODS Guizhi Fuling Wan (GFW) concentrated solution was prepared according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015 edition, Wistar rats were given GFW viagavage at 4 g·kg-1·d-1,8 g·kg-1·d-1,16 g·kg-1·d-1,or given saline as blank control for 5 days.Blood samples were taken and the corresponding drug-containing low-dose sera, medium-dose sear, high-dose sera and blank sera were prepared.The XCELLigence RTCA S16 real-time label-free cell analyzer was used to detect the reversal effect by the sera combined with cisplatin or paclitaxel in SKOV3/DDP cells. Annexin V-FITC and PI double-staining were used to detect the apoptosis-inducing effect of the sera in the cells. RT-qPCR and western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of PTEN and MTDH after the cells treated with the sera. RESULTS The inhibition rate of low-dose sera against SKOV3/DDP cells was less than 5%.After the low-dose sera combined with cisplatin or pacli-taxel, the IC50 of SKOV3/DDP cells against cisplatin and paclitaxel decreased by 3.01 and 1.79-fold, respectively.The total apoptosis rates induced by the low-dose sera,medium-dose sear,high-dose sera and blank sera in SKOV3/DDP cells were 11.08±0.13,19.42±0.30,24.23±0.31,and 3.21±0.24,respec-tively; there was a significant difference between the groups (P<0.01). RT-qPCR results showed that, compared with the blank serum, the sera can up-regulate the expression of PTEN mRNA and down-regulate the expression of MTDH mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot results showed that the induction effect to PTEN protein and the inhibition effect to MTDH protein by the sera were gradually enhanced with thesera dose increasement. CONCLUSION The resistance reversal effect of Guizhi Fuling Wan on ovarian cancer SKOV3/DDP cells may be related to the inhibition of MTDH, up-regulation of PTEN and induction of apoptosis, providing with an experiment basis for the applica-tion of Guizhi Fuling Wan as a reversal agent for chemotherapy resistance of ovarian cancer.